


You've got mail W.I.P

by Khaesii



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: AU, Agender!Suga, Akaashi finds his patience, Angst-Free, Bokuto Koutarou is a Dork, Bokuto can't spell, Fluff, I really like owls, Multi, Pretty Setter Squad, SO MUCH FLUFF, Slow Build, Suga is Satan in disguise, im not sorry, just drown in fluff, just fluff, maybe they are sowlmates, purified of angst, the wrong number au no one knew they wanted, throw-up fluff, trans!kenma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-07
Updated: 2017-01-22
Packaged: 2018-08-29 13:33:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8491690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Khaesii/pseuds/Khaesii
Summary: W.I.PWhen Keiji's peaceful alone-time is interrupted by a series of annoying texts, he's more than a little irritated. But the bizarre personality of the person on the other end doesn't disturb him as much as he'd originally thought.In fact, he might be a little interested in the stranger's boisterous antics.Introducing the wrong number AU no one knew they wanted .  I just wanted to write some fluff.Things will definitely change, i might add relationships, or change some tags - or maybe ratings ;)





	1. Owls of Japan

**Author's Note:**

> This is a draft of a draft of a draft- consider yourselves as my beta readers!! Please tell me your thoughts! Where you'd like it to go, who you want to be in it- anything is possible !  
> That being said- things will change, i may even end up rewriting things , or adding bits- so please come with me on this journey through ~~Time and space~~ fluff and sexy times!  
>  5pts for anyone that gets that reference. 
> 
> I may be doing some art for this , so please keep an eye on my tumblr! Also i've posted a load of shit on there recently and it'd be cool to get some followers ~~I don't really use it very often~~
> 
>  
> 
> [ My Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/kongyo%20)

Keiji folded his cold bare feet beneath him as he reclined into the soft cushions on his sofa, and sighed - finally able to relax after an exhausting day at work.

Silence engulfed him, the rhythmic tick of his clock on the windowsill and the low hum of his muted television the only sounds in his cozy and organized living space. 

Keiji reached for the steaming hot mug of cashew milk on his coffee table and cradled it in his hands - hoping to absorb its warmth.

His eyes slid shut, and he focused on the silence- which was suddenly interrupted by the ring of his phone. He opened one eye and stared regretfully at the phone sat on his kitchen counter on the other side of his small apartment.

His thin pink lips pulled into a frown, and he closed his eye- whoever it was could wait until later.  
Keiji sipped at his milk, savouring the taste, he yawned, and his brow furrowed when his phone buzzed once again. 

It wasn't a tone he recognised, so it was probably a sales call. Yet again he ignored it, and stared into his mug. 

After three to four more calls the phone pinged with a text notification, and Keiji grit his teeth- he glanced pointedly at the phone, but returned his attention to what he was doing. 

 

What was he doing, again?

"Tch." Keiji put his mug down on the table with a little too much force, and climbed out of his comfortable spot on the sofa. 

His feet made loud thudding noises on the dark brown wooden flooring, and Keiji appreciated his choice more than ever to have under-floor heating installed rather than radiators. 

A delicate hand reached out to snatch the slim case-less black phone from the counter, and Keiji punched in his pass-code to view his messages.

Keiji's brow arched unamusedly at the contents of the text.

_5 missed calls_

_Sunday, October 19th_

_11:16 PM Unkown: HEY HEY HEY!!!!!!1111!!!!!!!! Called but u must b bzy ~~ We still on 4 2nite???!?!?!??//?!!??!?!?1!/?!?! It's gon b a hoot!!!!!!!11!!!!1111!!!!! ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪_

Keiji didn't know that it was possible for someone to express so much enthusiasm through a text, he wrinkled his nose and put his phone down, before deciding better of it and quickly typing in a reply.

_11:16 PM You: I'm sorry- you seem to have the wrong number, I hope you are able to successfully contact your friend before your plans tonight._

He didn't have to wait long before an answering ping sounded through his apartment. 

_11:16 PM Unkown: Oh.........,.,,⚆ _ ⚆_

Keiji was about to put his phone back on the counter and return to the couch when he felt it vibrate in his hand, he hesitated before reluctantly opening his messages.

_11:17 PM Unkown: Ahhh Tsukki gave mw the wronng numbe rdamnnnittt (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻ Shoulda nown he'd pull somehing like thus11!!11!!!!!!1._

Keiji could only grimace in distaste at this person's grammatical impotence , and frankly he couldn't blame "Tsukki" for saving them-self, but unfortunately throwing Keiji under the bus.

He didn't really care for this person's regrettable circumstance, but he didn't want to be rude- so he wrote a short message in reply for what he hoped would end the conversation.

_11:17 PM You: That is...Calamitous ; I hope you enjoy your evening._

He almost dropped his phone in repulsion as another text came in.

_11:18 PM Unkown: Calmitos ??? ಠ~ಠ_

Keiji internally debated on whether or not he should ignore them. 

_11:19 PM Unkown: Ah! Nvrmind- i looked it up!!! ~~~~ Yes yes- it's a catasrofic disaster, i wonde ry Tsukki didnt wont me 2 have his numbrrrrr ¯\\(°_o)/¯_

Keiji's grip tightened on his phone- he wasn't sure if he could handle such a chaotic means of communication. He had to mentally prepare himself for the next message that came through, and after he read it he continued to stare at it undiscerningly. 

_11:20 PM Unkown: Ah well whtvvvrrr !11! U shod come instead, Calmity-san!! It's gon b greeaat.!! ヽ༼ຈل͜ຈ༽ﾉ_

"Calmity-san"? Keiji felt a vein throb on his forehead.

_11:20 PM You: It's Calamity._

Only after he had sent the message did he realise what this strange person was implying . What kind of person would invite someone out after sending them a text meant for someone else? 

_11:21 PM You: I'm afraid i'm going to have to decline, I have plans for this evening._

Those plans included a now cold mug of cashew milk sat on his coffee table.

_11:22 PM Unkown: Oh. Okay. It's fine, no one ever wants to hang out with me anyway- i'm annoying._

...What is happening? 

Keiji stared at his phone in bemusement, but no more messages came in. 

Keiji nibbled at his lip, and his thumb hovered over the keypad- he suddenly felt guilty; wasn't it mean? The person who gave them the wrong number , too, wasn't it mean for them to do that? This person is obviously rather sensitive, Keiji felt bad for finding them irritating.

_11:24 PM You: I'm sure that isn't true. To me, you seem like a very charismatic individual - I'm sure many people would enjoy your company._

It probably won't cheer them up, but Keiji didn't want to be entirely at fault for dampening their...high spirits. 

Instantly, a number of texts came through , and Keiji looked over them hopefully. 

_11:24 PM Unkown: Ahhh!!11! Calamity-san, U rly think soooo??//? I spoze i am hahahahahhahah (☞ﾟ∀ﾟ)☞_

_11:24 PM Unkown: R u suoreeee ??//?!!11! i bet ud b grait fun 2!1!! (☞ﾟヮﾟ)☞ ☜(ﾟヮﾟ☜)_

_11:24 PM Unkown: Wot R u doin????????//???///? (•ω•)_

Well, that was fast.

Keiji returned to his seat, and pondered his response- his real plan for this evening was watching a documentary on wild owls and sinking into the cushions on his couch. 

But could he tell them that? After all, he'd refused their invitation for it, so he should come up with a good excuse. 

_11:25 PM You: Yes I'm sure, thank you._

For some reason, Keiji really didn't want to lie to this person, it's not like he needed them to understand anyway. 

_11:27 PM You: I'm waiting to watch a documentary on owls this evening. They are my favourite animals; I'm sure you understand._

No, they probably won't, but Keiji didn't want to leave room for objection. He also had a book called _Owls of Japan_ to read if he got bored during advertisements. 

_11:29 PM Unkown: Woooooooooohhhh/.?!?!?11?// Calamity-san liks Owls 2?????!!!!! I luv Owls, they r my fave animals 2!!!!!!111111!!!!!!!1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!!!!11111!1!!!!!!!!!!I didnt no there was a show abouot Owls on?! aahh, im gon mis itttt (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻_

Keiji felt a smile tug at his lips, well he couldn't dislike someone that likes owls , could he?

_11:30 PM You: It's Akaashi, my name that is. And you are?_

_11:30 PM Unkown: Aaah, Akaaashi huh?! Iv alwys wonted 2 find som1 that likd owls 2!!!! Akaashiiii (;'༎ຶД༎ຶ')_

_11:30 PM Unkown: I am Bokuto Koutarou, at ur servise!!!!! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧_

_11:31 PM You: It's 'Service' , Bokuto-san. And I'll make sure to tell you what happens in this owl documentary , then._

_11:31 PM Unkown: Oya ? I see i see. (☞ﾟ∀ﾟ)☞Thanks Akaashi!!1!! Yaay~_

Keiji grabbed his remote and flicked to the wildlife channel- the time had passed quickly talking to Bokuto, and the show had already started.

Keiji placed the phone in his lap and turned his attention to the television .  
Half an hour or so passed before he received another message , Keiji blinked at his phone; he had almost expected not to hear from the stranger again- they seemed like the kind of person that finds interest in new things quickly.

_Monday, October 20th_

_12:08 AM Unkown: Hey hey hey! Akaashi!!! Hows the owl show goinnnn?//!! Hav they had a bit on Great hrned owls yettttt?///!!11?!//???/ TheyR my fav. (◕‿◕✿)_

So, Bokuto is the horned-owl kind of person. 

_12:08 AM Unkown: Peopl say i look lik a horned owl :D_

Keiji frowned, he couldn't really picture what they were suggesting. 

Fortunately he didn't have to, as not a minute later an image downloaded onto his messages.

Bokuto had sent what seemed to be a picture of them-self, in a club, with a number of other people around them. Keiji identified Bokuto by their outrageous hair style, which did indeed make them look like a horned-owl. 

He was struck by almost piercing amber eyes, and a ridiculous smirk, Keiji wasn't surprised in the least by Bokuto's bizarre choice in clothing- an actual Hawaiian shirt . In fact, if he was asked to describe what he thought Bokuto looked like just from their texts, the goofy figure holding the camera would be exactly what he would imagine.

Keiji didn't really know how to respond, in actuality he felt a little perturbed by Bokuto's familiarity towards him. It wasn't normal to send strangers pictures, right?

What could he say to that, he certainly wasn't sending one himself- he had to direct the attention elsewhere.

Keiji noticed the others in the picture, one with a sly grin and narrowed eyes, and another hunched over on their phone, seemingly oblivious to the sweaty bodies around them.

_12:10 AM You: Ah, I see what they mean, are those your friends?_

It took Bokuto a long time to respond; Keiji assumed that they'd found something interesting to do in the club.  
A few minutes later, his phone buzzed again.

 

_12:23 AM Unkown: Yeah yeah!!! The onr with the creopy smile iz my best bro Kuroo, he's a asshol tho. The 1 on the phon iz Kenma , he's transQ! isnt that amazin , u wouldnt thnk so. ٩◔̯◔۶_

Okay, that was something he could work with.

_12:24 AM Unknown: Noyt that thats important or anythin!!1!Kuroo says i shodnt tell every1 but i think its good so ppl no wot pronons 2 use u no? O , im a boy if u were wondering !!!111(°ロ°)☝_

So, he's prone to saying things he shouldn't really be saying- he's probably not good at lying or keeping secrets, Keiji couldn't really say that he hated that kind of thing. 

_12:25 AM You: Oh, I was wondering actually -thank you for clarifying. Have you asked Kenma-san about what he thinks about you telling people he's transgender?_

Keiji could tell that Bokuto didn't mean any harm by it, but living with his room-mate had taught him all sorts of things about gender-identity, and he'd come to understand that it shouldn't be something that defines you.

_12:25 AM You: Perhaps he doesn't want you to make a big deal of it. I'm sure if you used male pronouns when referring to him then people would understand Kenma-san's identity._

_12:26 AM Unkown: O, i guess ur right Akaash! Iv nevr even thought abot it b4!11!!!(ʘᗩʘ') I cant beleve i let myself offend Kenma! i need 2 apologiese now!_

Keiji cringed- that's exactly what 'making a big deal out of it' meant. Keiji yawned and rubbed his eyes as the credits rolled, perhaps there would be a section on great-horned owls next week.

He switched his television off , and closed his eyes - the cushions had been warmed by his body heat, and it left him reluctant to move. However , he had work in the morning, so falling asleep on the couch wasn't a good idea.

A powerful yawn made Keiji's eyes water, and he climbed out of his comfortable position on the sofa. He shuffled down the hall towards his room, and lazily snuffed out the candle on his way passed.

The apartment was cast into darkness, and Keiji felt his way to his bed- his sheets were cool, and he let himself collapse into them.

Keiji mentally scolded himself for forgoing his bathroom routine, but knowing him he'd wake in the night anyway- he'd brush his teeth then.

As Keiji snuggled into the pillow, he remembered his phone left on the sofa cushion- perhaps he'd check that later too.


	2. Watership Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey so America is having a bad time atm, and I know what it's like to vote against the majority- GB leaving the EU was pretty shocking.  
> So, just so you know, in this AU there is no Donald Trump- ~~he ded~~ in fact, there is no homophobia or inequality of any kind , no nasty pollution or animal agriculture - just FLUFF. SO MUCH FLUFF, LIKE EW GROSS FLUFF EVERYWHERE.  
>  But unfortunately there is still winter , because nature. :(  
> I mean this won't be the same for any of my other fics, ~~maybe?~~ but for now enjoy this fluffy universe, perhaps it's really set in the future, rather than an alternate universe : > ~~let's hope~~
> 
> Enjoy ( ͡ᵔ ͜ʖ ͡ᵔ )

The sudden piercing blare of Keiji's alarm yanked him from his sleep, and he groaned rebelliously. His sheets felt warm around him, and his pillow was soft - Keiji hated mornings.

He pulled himself across the bed and reached for his alarm clock. He blinked and squinted at the plastic box- the switch seemed to have disappeared. 

When his vision finally focused he deactivated the alarm and dropped the clock back onto his nightstand. 

He rubbed at his face with his hand, and dragged his feet over the edge of the bed. Keiji's other hand searched the bed fruitlessly for his phone, and his brow furrowed, where had he left that?

He sighed dramatically, and reluctantly threw his sheets off. Morning light peeked through his curtains, and Keiji hauled himself up and out of the room. 

After colliding with the kitchen table, and tripping over a hard object on the floor, Keiji reached the cabinet containing the cereal. He pawed at the nearest box, and unceremoniously caught it with his face when it fell from the cupboard. 

"Are you going to work in your nightclothes today, Keiji?" a soft yet teasing voice alerted him to the presence of another in the room, and Keiji stiffened in surprise- how embarrassing.

Keiji looked down at his navy blue sweatpants and remembered what he'd forgotten to do before leaving his room. He huffed childishly and ignored his roommate's question- retrieving what he hoped was coconut milk from the fridge. 

He poured the milk into the bowl, and after realising he'd skipped a step, he dumped the remainders of the box of mystery cereal in too. Hmm, chocolate shreddies- not his favoured choice, but they would do.

Keiji heard his roommate shuffling around behind him, and pointedly ignored them in favour of dipping his spoon into the bowl.

The spoon scraped the sides of his mouth uncomfortably, and the milk made his face scrunch in distaste. He'd accidentally pulled a soup spoon out of the draw, and hazelnut milk most definitely did not go with cereal.

Keiji groaned and lay his head on the counter in defeat. 

He looked up to the sound of a bowl being placed on the surface next to him, and he eyed the box of cookie crunch sceptically. 

The pale hands in his line of sight continued to pour coconut milk into the bowl, and swap it with Keiji's bowl of disastrous contents. 

"You're a monster in the morning, you know that?" an amused voice interrupted Keiji's train of thought, "Seriously, it's like someone killed you in the night and brought you back as a zombie." 

Keiji looked impassively at Suga and watched as they happily munched on the monstrosity he'd created. Suga looked as bright as ever, not a blemish or a frown in sight.

But Keiji could tell something was different, perhaps it was the way Suga hummed into the bowl, or the distant look in their eyes.

"Ew, gross." Suga's eyes snapped to his questioningly, and the sound of crunching stopped abruptly. "I can just smell it; he better use your toothbrush." 

Suga's brown eyes flashed in recognition, and they replied with a soft laugh. "Aw, why so grouchy this morning, are you jealous?" 

Keiji huffed and started the new bowl of cereal- he didn't want to be late. He finished the bowl quickly, ignoring Suga's chuckling, and returned to his room to grab his clothes. 

He got dressed quickly, and collected his fabric messenger bag from the corner. His phone- where was his phone? 

Keiji sighed, and called to Suga- who was still enjoying breakfast at the counter- as he passed on his way to the bathroom.

"Have you seen my phone, Koushi-san?" Suga turned with a mouthful of cereal and pouted in thought. They made an undecipherable noise - which Keiji translated as a 'no, lol' - and turned back to the bowl.

Keiji wasn't surprised to hear the drone of the shower as he reached their shared bathroom, and sighed in resignation. 

"Excuse me." he called as he entered the room, and heard a familiar deep hum of acknowledgement from the occupant of the shower.

Keiji made quick work of washing up and left Suga's guest to shower in peace. Keiji glanced at the clock- and gave himself fifteen minutes to find his phone and get to the bus stop. 

He checked under the kitchen table, on top of the mantelpiece, and even in the fridge but only managed to become increasingly stressed. 

Suga at least had the decency to look thoroughly entertained, and retained from assisting under the guise that they were miraculously still eating chocolate shreddies.

"If I give you a hint Keiji, will you promise to come out with us on Friday?" Suga blinked at Keiji innocently , and Keiji narrowed his eyes.

"Where is it?" Suga arched their brow and waved a finger in response, and Keiji glanced regrettably at the clock, "Okay I will, come on I'm going to be late, Koushi-san."

Suga, like a true angel, laughed impishly at Keji's situation. "It's on the sofa." 

Keiji's head snapped towards the sofa , and his lips pursed in irritation when he noticed his phone sat in the middle of the cushion.

This served only to amuse his roommate even more, and Keiji's ears were assaulted with Suga's boisterous cackle. 

Keiji quickly retrieved his phone, he noticed his notification light flashing and made a mental note to check what it was later.

Keiji grabbed his keys from the counter and called his farewells as he left through the door.

"I'll see you later, Koushi-san , say hello to Daichi-san for me too." 

"No need; I'm here." Keiji looked over at the built figure wandering into the kitchenette , Daichi had a towel around his waist, and another swung over his shoulder. He may have been addressing Keiji, but his gaze was on Suga as he approached them - he took the bowl being handed to him , and kissed Suga lightly on the forehead.

Suga whistled mischievously at Daichi's state of undress, and Keiji made a snort of distaste while he quickly vacated the apartment. 

He could hear Daichi's deep laugh even after the door had closed behind him, and he made his way down the stairs. 

The morning was cold, and his breath created clouds of condensation. Keiji pulled his gloves from his pocket and zipped up his jacket, he had never been a fan of the cold , or mornings, so cold mornings really took the cake.

As Keiji crossed the road he pulled his phone out of his pocket to check the time , and blinked in surprise at his messages.

 _11 unread messages_

What? Had something happened? 

Suddenly, Keiji remembered his conversation with Bokuto the night before- and he instantly felt guilty for forgetting about them.

He opened the tab and read some of the messages as he walked swiftly down the path towards the bus stop.

_Monday, October 20th_

_12:39 AM Unkown: Akaaashi!!11 Kenma sed it woz ok!!!111(☞ﾟ∀ﾟ)☞_

_12:45 AM Unkown: Aah im so glad Kenma 4gave meeee wot wood i hav done if he didnt?!?!?!/1/1/111ಠ╭╮ಠ_

_12:46 AM Unkown: I think hes embarised. (•ω•)_

Keiji arrived at the bus stop just in time and he presented his bus pass to the driver. He climbed to the back of the bus, and sat in the corner- his usual spot. 

The bus was small and worn and the seats were hard- however Keiji still preferred it to the car, besides, his workplace was only ten minutes away. 

He looked down at his phone, and for reasons unbeknown to him- he continued to read the messages from Bokuto.

_01:30 AM Unkown: Did U fall aslep Akaaaashi??///!!!!1 i think Kenma iz tired 2, hes on the flor._

Keiji furrowed his brow in concern and shuffled in his seat as the bus started to move. 

_01:59 AM Unknown: Akaaaaaash , Kenama wasnt sleeepy, he woz totalie plastered hahahahahaha !!!!11111 (─‿‿─)_

_02:00 AM Unkown: Kuro told me abt his lo alcohol-drinkin-abilitie or wtvr , but i didnt think hed actualli pass out haha!!!1111ლ(ಠ益ಠლ)_

_02:06 AM Unkown: Wer takin him hom now - he shares a apartmant w Kuro ! 11 i dont no y im comin 2 b onest .¯\\_(ツ)_/¯_

Keiji was learning more about Kenma than Bokuto at this point; Bokuto was clearly very fond of his friends, Keiji smiled - in that way perhaps he was similar to this excitable person. 

_04:08 AM Unkown: AAah, im finally home Akaash!!!!11 That woz mad haha, i still tihnk u shoud hav come!!(☞ﾟヮﾟ)☞ ☜(ﾟヮﾟ☜) im not evrn tired !!!!1111 Good thin i dont hav work tmrw!!!!!!!1111111_

Keiji wasn't sure of Bokuto's age; while- from what he could tell- he looked mature and had well-defined muscles and facial features- he acted like a twelve-year-old girl. Learning that he was a working citizen at least assured Keiji that perhaps he wasn't talking to a minor. 

The bus pulled up, and Keiji glanced out of the window to see where he was. The sky was overcast outside and he watched groups of people shuffling down the open paths-smothered head to toe in winter clothing. The fallen leaves had created a blanket of mushy foliage, and the children who usually played in the park in the summer were nowhere to be seen.

As it wasn't Keiji's stop, he looked back down at his phone - unconcerned by his anti-social appearance. Keiji lived in an estate on the outside of Tokyo, it was a friendly area with its own cinema, swimming pool and shopping centre - Keiji assumed that it was once a town that had been engulfed by Tokyo's expansion. 

_04:27 AM Unkown: ergh im so tird help mee!! i cant slep tho, u no when u just cant sleep??// i want 2 watch a flm or pla ya game!!!1111 ಥ_ಥ_

Bokuto was a restless sleeper, then. It was hardly surprising - Keiji wondered what kind of job he could have to cater to his wacky schedule. 

_04:55 AM Unkown: YYYY Akaaashiiii, y did u hav to fall asleeeeep , im lonliiii °Д° do u hav work ? ???_

_07:47 AM Unkown: ohhh, i went 2 sleeeppp !!!11 but then i woz wonderin wot Akaashi did as a job!!!!111 Akaashi sounds lik a very clever person- so mayb a acountint - or a doctor!!!!11111_

A smile tugged at Keiji's lips, and he quickly typed in a reply before his bus reached its destination.

_08:48 AM You: No, nothing like that, Bokuto-san, although it's flattering of you to think so. I'm sorry for not replying- yes I did go to bed, it sounds like you had a very interesting night.I hope Kenma-san is okay._

The bus pulled up at Keiji's stop, so he grabbed his bag from the seat next to him and made his way down the aisle. The bus had filled up with people making their way further into the city, but Keiji lived and worked on the outskirts of the estate. 

As he stepped off of the bus he shivered and watched his breath cloud bitterly. The library was only a short walk away from the main road, but Keiji walked briskly so he could get out of the cold faster.

The cold morning air bit at his cheeks, and his naked ears were stinging- he palmed them with his gloved hands and grimaced in discomfort; he couldn't wait to reach the warmth of the library. 

The air, as bitterly cold as it was, at least smelt fresh - not five years ago the streets would smell of car fumes, but the mandatory use of electric cars in his area cleared the air- and made the stars visible at night. 

Keiji approached the wide glass doors of the library and pulled the keys from his pocket, Keiji's co-workers wouldn't arrive for another half-an-hour when the library opened at nine-thirty. 

The doors swung open and Keiji made his way down the carpeted hallway and into the main room- it was warmer than outside, but perhaps his conscience would let him have the heating on for a bit- he did the recycling yesterday, so that evens the score, right?

Keiji didn't know what to do with himself in the winter- he wanted to go on holiday to someplace warmer. Perhaps...Cyprus?

A loud ping interrupted the silence, and Keiji quickly grabbed at his phone to quiet it- even though there were no visitors present. He made a mental note to himself to put it on silent mode when the library opened.

Keiji opened his messages and sighed when he saw who had sent it- he had almost not expected to hear from Bokuto again- was he glad?

_09:06 AM Unkown: No problemo Akaaash!!!!111 (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ Kenma iz fiiinnnne - Kuroo wil lok aftr him anywayz , there lik prety much maried anywayz, anywayz~?_

Another load of messages arrived whilst Keiji was reading, and he huffed in amusement.

_09:06 AM Unkown: i meen they r getting marieed??!?! 11 lyk seriosuly , wel i meen kuro sez hes gonna ask kenma 2 mari him, thers no way hed say no soo.. (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧_

_09:07 AM Unkown: i meen kenma iz supperr lyk ....un-emotional?? but he totali loves kuroo, u no? im good at sensing these things !!111 (ง'̀-'́)ง_

_09:07 AM Unkown: Akaashi shood commmeee!!1111 itll proably b at lyke christmas or somin cus he hasnt evn asked him eyt but ya know he gone do it soon. (ง ͠° ͟ل͜ ͡°)ง_

_09:08 AM Unkown: 2 the wedding i meen._

_09:08 AM Unkown: and also i meen that the weding wil b at christmas is what i ment ._

Keiji dragged a gloved palm down his face, for now, the bombardment of messages seemed to have stopped. Keiji's brain hurt just from trying to decipher Bokuto's cryptic language- and his ridiculous suggestion of Keiji attending his friend's wedding. 

He didn't even know Keiji's full name, yet he'd already invited him to a wedding? 

Keiji shook his head in bemusement but decided to figure out how to reply once he'd prepared to open the library. He put his phone, a book he'd picked up, _Watership down_ , as well as his gloves and keys on the front desk and walked to the windows to open the blinds.

Once he'd let in the dismal light from the overcast sky outside he turned on the lights in the toilets and the kids area, and opened the other two doors , one which opened around the back of the library, and one which lead to the park- which was now devoid of children.

When Keiji was satisfied, he returned to the desk to boot up the computer and security feed. 

A flashing blue light from his phone caught his attention, and Keiji wondered how many more messages Bokuto has sent since he'd left it there.

He was a little disappointed. 

_1 new message_

_Monday, October 20th_

_09.22 AM Unkown: R u at woorkkk Akaaashiiiii????!?!?!?! awwwwwww, csan i not talk to u @workkk???///!!! nooooooooo (ಥ﹏ಥ) work is boring >:( _

Keiji suddenly remembered that he hadn't replied to Bokuto's swarm of messages earlier, and he looked at the clock to check how much time he had before he replied. 

Twenty-eights minutes passed nine, he had two minutes before the library opened- not that he'd get visitors right away, but whoever was working with him today would arrive shortly. 

_09:28 AM You: No , I'm sorry Bokuto-san, I was occupied - it's perfectly alright to talk to me whilst I'm at work. That's very exciting news for Kenma-san and Kuroo-san, however, I don't think it's a very good idea for me to come to the wedding - I've never met either of them .  
I hope Kenma-san says yes , though - he sounds like a very loved individual. _

Keiji heard the door to the library open just as he sent the message and the sound of heels approaching down the corridor. 

He looked around quickly to make sure everything was in order, and almost jumped out of his seat when his phone buzzed successively on the desk in front of him. 

He glanced sneakily at the screen, but gave an audible cry of disdain when he read the messages, no doubt surprising and inevitably confusing his colleague as she walked through the door. 

_09:30 AM Unkown: OOOO rightt!!!11 Wel u shoood meeet them thennnnn!!!!!!!111!! Then u wont have anyreason 2 say no cus they r awesme and ull love them !!!111 \ (•◡•) /_

 

_09:30 AM Unkown: Yeaahhh, its gonna b great fun Akaaash!!!111 ( ͡ᵔ ͜ʖ ͡ᵔ )_

This was going to be a long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yh soo.....I hate winter??? or just the cold?? like ....help .  
> so I like the idea of Akaashi being a poo for winter too, and mornings , hey i also hate mornings- it's like we're twins ~~or something~~  
>  Also naive Bokuto is adorable lol .  
> Please tell me ur thoughts !  
> Also ~~sneaky self-promo~~ I'm opening commissions for christmas , I might give u guys a discount code haha ~~i don't know how that would work~~ but yh, if you want something cheap to give someone for christmas then hit me up ~~  
>  Oh i've been asked this before, but i'm a professional portrait artist, like pets an' children commissions, rather than fanart and stuff lol ~~although i wish i could do good farnart~~  
>  oki , here's my [ D.A ](http://kongyo.deviantart.com)  
> and my [ Tumblr ](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/kongyo)  
> Like i'm really bad at taking pictures of my work...like helpp???  
> also i rant forever i swear to god y am i like this ~~im like the dorkiest author on this website help me???? y this???~~


	3. Kokoro

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahahahah it's 2 AM.  
>  ~~why~~

"Is everything okay, Keiji-san?" Keiji looked up from his phone and met the eyes of a concerned Shimizu- she had paused in the doorway- her hand placed against the glass of the door. 

"Oh, yes, sorry ...um. " Keiji put his phone on the desk- he'd deal with Bokuto later. He stood awkwardly and crossed his hands behind his back. "How are you today, Kiyoko-san?"

Shimizu's eyes narrowed fractionally before she smiled politely , "Yes I'm doing well, it's rather cold this morning, isn't it?" Shimizu removed her gloves and placed a palm against her rouged cheeks. 

"Yes, it is," Keiji replied shortly, still stood stiffly at the desk. He glanced at the door as if hoping that perhaps a visitor would arrive and save him from this artless encounter. 

"And how are you today?" Shimizu's deep grey eyes sparkled, and Keiji felt his stomach drop. "Has anything...interesting happened recently?" She was onto him. 

It wasn't like he had anything to hide, but he didn't really want to talk about Bokuto to Shimizu - he was just some person who'd accidentally messaged him- it was embarrassing to make a big deal out of it. 

"No, not really." An emergency diversion was necessary, "Suga and Daichi are getting on well; Daichi-san stayed over last night." 

"Oh really? It's nice to hear that they are finally getting together- it's about time; being alone for so long can really get to people, don't you think?" Keiji could feel her suggestive tone- she was letting him know that his interrogation wasn't over. 

"Yes I think so; Daichi-san is perfect for Suga." It was time to change tactics. " So,how are things with you and Tanaka-san?" 

This seemed to work; Keiji noticed a blush tinting her cheeks, which were already red from the cold. "Everything is going well, thank you for asking. We're going out to dinner tonight." 

Keiji smiled at that; he had always thought that they'd be a good pair. It seems everyone else's love lives were going better than his. 

Shimizu made her way to the desk and set her backpack on the chair, once she had unpacked her things she set to work organising the new books that had arrived the evening before. Keiji had been saved. 

He looked down at the phone on his desk, and then at Shimizu- to check that she was occupied. 

He hadn't received any new messages, but the old ones were enough to keep his attention- how would he respond to that? Bokuto wanted him to meet his friends, but he hadn't even met Bokuto.

Keiji was overwhelmed by Bokuto's inability to think things through, and his naivety towards new people. 

_Monday, October 20th_

_09:48 AM You: Perhaps one day, Bokuto-san. In any case, may I ask what you do as a job?_

Luckily Keiji seemed to be very skilled at diverting people's attention. 

_09:48 AM Unkown: O yeehhh/!! i hav a rly cool job Akaaashi, u wood b vry jelous. i work at the owl sanktaury outside of Tokyo !!11 i told u i lked owls!!111 doo u live near tokyo? i meen u have the area code in ur numbe rso i asoomed u lived nearby!!! Tsukki iz rly sneeky!!!11 (▀̿Ĺ̯▀̿ ̿)_

Of course, the person that gave Bokuto his number must have used the area code to make it seem authentic, although Keiji was surprised Bokuto noticed something like that. 

He shook his head- that was mean, wasn't it?

_09:50 AM You: Yes, I live on the western outskirts of the city, I think perhaps I've heard of an owl sanctuary nearby? I haven't had the time to go , myself._

_09:52 AM Unkown: Ohhhhh >???? Akaaashii, u hav 2 go1111!!! so itz clos? that msut meen we liv clos 2gether!!!thats so coooooool!!11 (☞ﾟ∀ﾟ)☞ _

Keiji grimaced nervously- he didn't want to give away any more information than that.

_09:53 AM You: So when do you next have work, Bokuto-san?_

He had panicked; it couldn't have been more obvious that he was trying to direct the conversation elsewhere.

_09:54 AM Unkown: ooo, i hav work 2mrw!!! i cant w8, we just had a grt hornd owl come in, some1 had him az a pet!!11 they obvioosli didnt no how to care 4 him tho- some ppl are silly!! ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ_

Somehow, Bokuto had fallen for the distraction. Keiji looked up from his phone quickly - he couldn't talk to Bokuto all day- there was work to do. Luckily Shimizu seemed perfectly engrossed in her book organising, so Keiji could work on redirecting Bokuto's train of thought. 

_09:56 AM You: Oh I see, what will you be doing with him, then?_

Keiji heard the door of the library swing open and he hastily placed his phone in his pocket- texting while at work was very unprofessional. 

An elderly gentleman with an old wooden cane entered the room, he waved kindly at Keiji and Shimizu and shuffled to the seating area near the fireplace- which Keiji had yet to light. 

Luckily, the man was a regular visitor and didn't seem to mind - he only sorted through the Traditional Literature section whilst whistling contentedly. 

Keiji picked up a box of matches from a draw in the desk, and made his way to the seating area- he smiled briefly at the man going through the books, and as he crouched in front of the fireplace he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. 

He momentarily wondered what Bokuto would think when he didn't reply- but he decided it couldn't be helped- and set to work on the fire.

Keiji used wood collected from the woodland area next to the library for the fire, and also some old book pages. Soon enough, he had a nice fire going, and he smiled pleasantly at the elderly gentleman as he returned to the nearest sofa with a new book.

Keiji made his way back over to the desk, and grimaced when he felt his phone vibrate again; he felt childish for wanting to read Bokuto's messages. 

"Would you like some tea, Kiyoko-san?" Shimizu looked up with a smile from the book she had in her hands and nodded gently at him.

"Yes, please- I think that a cup of tea would do nicely to warm up." Shimizu looked back down at her book, and Keiji headed for the staff room.

As he left Shimizu's line-of-sight, Keiji pulled out his phone from his back pocket. 

_2 unread messages_

_Monday, October 20th_

_09:58 AM Unkown: Wel as soon as hes al heeled up were gonna let him back 2 the wild!! 4 now i get 2take car eof him!!!!!!!!1111 (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ_

_10:12 AM Unkown: Akaaaaash!!!111 wot r u doin this friday????!1111 do u work al the time????/// (• ε •)_

Keiji worried his lip- why was Bokuto asking that? Perhaps he just doesn't have any social awareness. 

_10:16 AM You: I have plans this Friday, and that's very interesting Bokuto-san. Have you rescued many owls since you've worked there?_

He felt like he was playing some kind of game called 'Throw the stranger off your trail'. 

Keiji reached the staff room and turned the kettle on. He was pulling two mugs down from the cupboard when his phone vibrated again, he put them down quickly when they almost fell from his grasp- Keiji wasn't used to being messaged at work. Or at least, he would have his phone on silent or in his bag. 

_10:18 AM Unkown: awww : < Yeeeaaaahhh i hav! u shood hav seen them all!!1111 lots of ppl have them as pet ssometimes , but that nvr rly goes well- they r supposed 2 b in the wyld!!!!!!!11111 so we always hav 2 save them an stuff._

_10:18 AM You: Oh, I see how that could be a problem for you- what kinds of owls do you find most often?_

If Keiji could keep him distracted he could avoid personal questions he didn't want to answer, after all- 'stranger danger' was never something he took lightly. 

Keiji finished making the tea and made his way back to the library. On the way back another message arrived from Bokuto- but Keiji was holding two cups of tea and didn't want to risk dropping them- so he ignored it.

Shimizu accepted her tea with a grateful smile, and Keiji set his tea down on the desk. He wanted to check what Bokuto had replied with, but he wasn't paid to sit on his phone. Keiji reluctantly turned to the computer and set to work sorting some files on the Teen Fiction section.

An hour or so passed and Keiji hadn't heard his phone buzz again, so he curiously checked it quickly.

_1 new message_

_10:22 AM Unkown: ooo we get al sortsss!!11 i lyk screech owls, they com in often!!1 and also burrowing owls and snowy owl and barn owls, we get a lot of barn owls- and my favorit is the grat horned owl !!!11111(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ ✧ﾟ･: *ヽ(◕ヮ◕ヽ)_

Keiji smiled at his enthusiasm but noticed Shimizu glancing his way, and he quickly put his phone down. 

He looked up from the computer again when the elderly gentleman from before approached the desk and smiled gently at him. A shaking hand was holding a book out towards him, and Keiji took it politely- it was the translated version of a western novel called Of mice and Men -an odd choice.

"I'd like to get this out, please. I had it recommended to me once...." the man trailed off thoughtfully, and Keiji scanned the book while he waited for him to return from his nostalgic journey. 

"Certainly, Yamazaki-san - it is an interesting novella.Would you like to use your member's card?" The old man's eyes circled back to Keiji's and he nodded distractedly- before patting his pockets with a frown. 

"Oh dear, I seem to have misplaced it." He looked at Keiji with concern, and Keiji smiled fondly in response.

"Don't worry Yamazaki-san- I have it here for you." He ran the card through the machine, and his visitor nodded cheerfully. He was Keiji's favourite visitor, but was rather forgetful- so after the third time Keiji had to file for a new card, he decided to keep it especially on his desk. 

Once he had logged the book, Keiji waved farewell to the old man and set to work updating the archive for the new books Shimizu was organising. After lunch, they had an influx of people arriving to spend their afternoons browsing- and Keiji was kept very busy. 

It was towards the end of the day when he was unexpectedly startled by the buzz of his phone, and Keiji suddenly remembered that he hadn't replied to Bokuto's message. 

There were only a few people left in the library, and Keiji guiltily peaked at his phone.

_1 new message_

_Monday, October 20th_

_04:37 PM Unkown: hey hey hey!! Akaaashi!!111 r u ok???// u stopd talking 2 meee!1 u sed u cood talk @work!!!11 im boredddddd idont lik days off i nvr no wat 2 do!!!!1(ಥ﹏ಥ)_

Keiji huffed- was he talking to a fully grown human being or not? 

_04:39 PM You: I'm sorry, Bokuto-san. I got distracted with work - what do you usually do on your days off?_

Keiji rubbed his eyes, and watched the children in the play area as they threw around the lego- fortunately for Keiji his shift ended in twenty minutes- it was Shimizu who would have the pleasure of picking all the stray pieces from the floor. 

He idly glanced down at his phone when it buzzed again and smiled fondly at Bokuto's text.

_04:45 PM Unkown: oooooo!!111 wel usuli i playg ames w/ kuroo or kenma or wach coot owl vidios on utube or go 4walks or go 2 the gim or bake a cake or somthin rly tasty 4 dinner or read a book or wach tv or go 4 a run or surf the internet 4 interestin owl facts or go in2 town or go 2 a cafe or go 2 the sports shop and get new shoos or go 2 kurros ans kenmas or go out 2 a club or 2 the park or the cinema or 2 the volleyball club!!111 (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ_

_09:48 PM You: And none of those options are good enough for you right now, Bokuto-san? How about you read a book- What books do you usually read?_

It was probably the most relatable and productive thing on the list- other than volleyball- it was interesting to learn that Bokuto played volleyball too; he'd have to ask him about it later.

"Keiji-san, you seem very distracted with whomever you are speaking to, but I suppose I must remind you that your shift ends in ten minutes?" Keiji quickly put his phone face-down on the table when Shimizu spoke from behind him, and looked over his shoulder guiltily. 

"Oh, um, thank you Kiyoko-san- right," He could feel his cheeks heating in a blush, and he turned away to pack his bag to avoid Shimizu's prying gaze. 

He packed up his things, and collected his phone from his desk- his notification light was flashing, but he didn't want to arouse Shimizu's suspicions anymore, so he ignored it. 

"Well then, I'll be off , Kiyoko-san. Thank you for your work." 

"Yes, thank you for your work. Enjoy your evening, Keiji-san." Keiji didn't miss the sly grin, but he bowed and left to avoid giving her any more leverage. 

As Keiji stepped into the street, he was greeted by darkness- it always bewildered him when the sun set so early in the colder months, as his sense of time was thrown off completely.

Keiji pulled his phone from his pocket and checked his messages while he wandered down to the bus stop.

_1 new message_

_04:54 PM Unkown: Adventur books!!!!!1111and fantasy!!11 oo and magicccc!!111 i wood read 1 but i dont hav any at the moment!!!!1 i red al of them ಠ╭╮ಠ but i likd Lord of the rings!!111and harry potter- i gess lots of western stuff!!!1 but i lik japanese stuff 2, lik Kokoro- that was intense!!1 and my fave authior is Murakami Haruki!!!11_

Keiji arched his brow in surprise- he had similar tastes to Bokuto. They had a large section on traditional Japanese literature- and especially Murakami Haruki's works- in at the library; Keiji wasn't sure he wanted to suggest it to Bokuto.

_05:05 PM You: Well why don't you visit a book shop then Bokuto-san, or perhaps a library. You have interesting tastes- I also enjoy fantasy books._

He'd have to hope that Bokuto had a different library near him- however, he wouldn't be able to recognise Keiji anyway since he hadn't seen his face. 

_05:06 PM Unkown: oooo yeehh!11 good ideaaa Akassshi!! i wil hav 2 go 2 the library when im free next!!!111 (☞ﾟ∀ﾟ)☞_

Keiji cringed anxiously- that could go very wrong. 

He sighed and pocketed his phone- for now, he was looking forward to going home and having a warm bath- he'd deal with Bokuto later...again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like owls.  
> So does Bokuto.  
> And also Akaashi.  
> And you, too.  
> I know you do, really.


	4. The Hobbit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry it's been so long! @>@ In my defence, in this time I have quit my job, dropped out of college, gone to art school and started my own business - so I've been busy.  
> 

The bus ride back was cold and dark, and Keiji felt his mood sour as he shuffled home- he had a long shift the next day and he wasn't looking forward to it. 

As Keiji opened the door he heard Suga laughing loudly from inside; so he was going to have to make polite conversation with Daichi too. Keiji rubbed his face as a yawn broke his train-of-thought and removed his shoes. 

He was surprised to see only Suga inside their apartment- sat on the sofa cradling a bowl of popcorn and watching one of those sitcoms that Keiji detested.

Of course, it couldn't have been Daichi that made Suga laugh like that; that was a laugh that only reared its head when someone got hit in the face with a frying pan by their cousin's ex-wife's daughter. 

Keiji sighed and instantly- like a bird of prey- Suga's eyes latched onto him, he froze in place on his way to his bedroom. _No._

"Keiji!!! I'm so glad you're here; you can watch the next episode with me!" Suga leapt from the sofa with a feral vigour and latched onto Keiji's arm like a lioness asphyxiating a passing antelope- Keiji momentarily wondered if such an elaborate simile was necessary- but he concluded that similes were always necessary with Suga. 

How could he have let this happen? Why hadn't he noticed the signs- you can't afford to be oblivious when you have Suga as a roommate. The evil laughing, the smell of popcorn- it was obvious.

Keiji degraded himself as he was dragged into the lioness' lair- and sat uncomfortably on the sofa with Suga's arm around his neck. Suga chirped happily.

"I love our bonding times, Keiji. Daichi's great- but sometimes you just need someone that will follow your orders unquestionably and sit quietly as you review your plans for world- domination. " Suga smiled down at him innocently, and Keiji blinked unresponsively. 

Everyone thought that Suga was an angel, 'I wish that I lived with Suga', they say. The reality was that Suga was a wolf in a lamb's clothing - ready to devour and brutally murder anyone that they don't like. 

Keiji was forced to watch three episodes of Suga's new favourite High school drama before he escaped into his room. 

He left his bag in its usual corner and shrugged off his coat before sitting on his bed and contemplating his next move. It was seven o'clock- which meant he still had a little time to do what he wanted. 

Keiji decided to think about it in the bath and approached his door- before being stopped by a ping from his bag. He wouldn't usually take it with him, but he made an exception and retrieved it from the front pocket. 

It wasn't what he was expecting.

_1 new message_

_Monday, October 20th_

_07:07 PM Tooru: Keiji-channn!! Suga told me you agreed to come with on Friday~~!! Finally getting out there? Oooo, I'll grab you a great guy - count on me 100%. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) XXXX_

Keiji grimaced and ignored the message in favour of wandering down the hall into the bathroom and running the bath-water. He heard a call from Suga in the living room.

"You're having a bath Keiji? Oh, can I join? Like when we were kids it'll be great!" Keiji shut the door.

He couldn't understand how he had managed to surround himself with such boisterous people- although he'd known Suga and Oikawa since they were children, it still confused him as to why they stuck around- he wasn't really any fun to hang out with. 

Keiji stopped the tap and put his phone on a shelf next to the bath before he stripped and stepped in. He sighed when the hot water enveloped his chilled skin and absentmindedly checked his phone. 

He should probably reply to Oikawa.

_07:15 PM You: That will not be necessary, Tooru-san. Thank you for the offer, though. I will see you on Friday._

He put his phone down and dipped under the water- if he washed his hair now he wouldn't need to have a shower in the morning.

It was when he was rinsing the shampoo from his scalp that his phone pinged once more, and Keiji dried his hands on a towel next to the bath before picking it up again. 

_07:20 PM Tooru: Wow! That was a quick response from you Keiji-chan- record timing! Highscore!! It's nice not being ignored for a good few hours, you should check your phone more often! ;)))))_

Keiji blinked at his phone, it wasn't really a message worth replying to- so he placed it back on the side and exchanged it for a bar of soap.

He submerged his head in the water while he washed and listened to the beat of his heart- the water was warm and all the obnoxious noises from Suga's television show were muffled by the water, it would be so easy to fall asleep in the bath.

He felt rather than heard his phone go off again, and glanced at it fleetingly with his face poking out of the water; he didn't want to welcome the noise back yet, so he left his ears underneath.

The light flashed at him insistently, Keiji compared his options- stay in the warm bath, or sit up, dry his hands and check his messages only to see a sly emoji from Oikawa. But it could be from Bokuto.

It was more than common for Oikawa to spam Keiji with useless messages and emojis until he responded, but Keiji hadn't replied to Bokuto's last message and he didn't want him to assume that Keiji was ignoring him. 

Keiji pulled himself out of the water with a sigh- he shouldn't have to think so hard about checking his phone. 

_1 new message_

_Monday, October 20th_

_07:37 PM Unkown: HEWY HEY HEY !!11WOT ARE U DOIN AKAAASHI/??? (ᵔᴥᵔ)_

Keiji looked around awkwardly- he wasn't about to tell Bokuto that he was in the bath. Keiji began to feel a little uncomfortable talking to Bokuto while he was naked- almost like he was doing something inappropriate. 

Keiji stepped out of the bath quickly and had to support himself on the railing when he began to feel dizzy. He grabbed a towel to cover himself and pulled the plug out of the tub- he'd think of a response while drying off.

As he wandered back down the hall towards his room, Keiji scolded himself for overthinking such a trivial thing- his response didn't have to be anything too specific.

_07:44 PM You: I'm just at home now Bokuto-san, I will most likely go to bed now. And what are you doing?_

His phone catapulted across the room and landed on the mattress with a thud- Keiji retrieved his nightclothes and pulled them on quickly, and then wrapped the towel around his head- something that Suga often made fun of him for, which always confused Keiji since Suga did it too and even had fluffy slippers to match. 

Keiji turned to leave the room, but paused in the doorway and looked back at his phone sat precariously on the edge of his bed. It would be rude not to reply.

He grabbed the phone and ventured into the kitchen area. Suga was fast asleep, clutching a pillow and drooling onto the sofa cushion. Keiji almost wanted to take a picture and send it to Oikawa, but he refrained politely. 

He didn't have the time nor the energy to prepare a large meal- not if he wanted to get a good night's rest- so he heated some leftovers in the microwave.

His phone vibrated loudly against the plastic counter and Keiji looked over hesitantly whilst he set the food onto a plate.

"I'm sure they can wait until you've finished decorating your dinner, Keiji."Suga's groggy voice brought Keiji's attention away from the phone. "Who is it, anyway?" 

Keiji looked over at Suga as they rubbed their eyes and yawned noisily- he felt a little guilty for waking them with the sound from his phone.

"Oikawa." he avoided making eye contact with Suga- he was suddenly very interested in his pea shoots.

"What on earth could Tooru have to say that would make you actually want to reply?" Suga sat at the bar stool looking dishevelled and rubbed at their face, Keiji grimaced- what was he supposed to say to that. He couldn't think of anything that he might be remotely interested in coming from Oikawa- perhaps an emergency.

Although if he made something up Suga was bound to ask about it later- a distraction was needed.

"I don't- do you want some of this? How was Daichi today?" Suga's eyes narrowed dangerously, and Keiji knew he'd been caught- perhaps a question too many?

He may be good at distracting Bokuto, but Suga was an entirely different story- it was like they could literally smell the scent of lies. 

The room was silent as they stared at each other, and Keiji saw Suga glance at Keiji's phone sat on the counter in front of them. 

Plates clattered, towels fell and chairs screeched as they both leaped into motion - Keiji managing to pry his phone from Suga's thin clutching fingers and escape- dragging the towel falling from his head- to the other side of the room. 

He paused at the doorway and looked longingly to his plate of food- a soldier left behind. Suga stood ready to attack as if waiting for him to return for his dinner. 

"It's a secret. Tooru-san said not to tell anyone." he attempted to defend himself in the hope that Suga would give up and let him go back for the plate.

"Oh, really? A secret, huh." Keiji realised his mistake too late- no secrets were kept from Suga; he had just made his situation ten times worse.

He glanced mournfully at his food- a casualty of war- and slunk backward into his room. He'd have to eat it later as a midnight snack. 

Once the door was safely locked behind him, he looked down to read the offending message.

_1 new message:_

_08:00 PM Unkown: Ohh i seee!!!111 Wel then, godnihgt Akaaashi!!!11 ttyt111~! (☞ﾟ∀ﾟ)☞_

It was hardly worth the fuss, Keiji sighed and slumped on his bed- he wouldn't usually go to sleep at such a time, but he was exhausted from going to sleep so late the night before, and it had been a long day at work followed by another longer one the next day- so he'd make an exception.

He climbed under the covers and thought about a few trivial things as he tried to fall asleep- and then remembered that Suga will be watching him like a hawk from then on. 

Keiji hid his face in the pillow and groaned - he would have to cross that bridge when he came to it.

 

The next day was slow and boring- he awoke before his alarm and attempted fruitlessly to go back to sleep before he had to get up. Then he snuck out to the kitchen, wary of the door closed at the end of the hall- he would avoid dealing with Suga in the morning if he could.

Keiji traveled to work for 9:30 and greeted Shimizu as she sat at the desk- the day was generally quiet, Keiji found himself texting Bokuto back and forth about silly inconsequential things in between talking to visitors and sorting a few shelves.

It was when Shimizu left at 5:00 that Keiji began to feel especially fatigued. The library stayed open until 8:00 to allow for the night owls to come in after work, but it was often very empty, dark and cold. 

The fire had faded, but Keiji couldn't find the effort to light it again- he didn't see the point when there was no-one in there but himself. 

He began to ask Bokuto stupid questions like, _what are you doing, what's your favourite colour,_ and _when's your birthday._

To which Bokuto replied, _I'm at work, yellow,_ and _September 20th_ , but of course he presented his text in a way that Keiji could only describe as Bokuto- ridden with spelling, punctuation and grammar mistakes, unnecessary exclamation points and ridiculous emojis. 

Bokuto then returned the questions and Keiji replied in much the same way- but perhaps with a little more of an educated appeal. His favourite colour was also yellow, but a more metallic gold rather than the bright yellow Bokuto described. 

When Keiji told Bokuto that his birthday was on the 5th of December, he replied with excitement that it was less than two months away, almost as if he had reason to be excited himself.

Keiji continued to send messages back and forth with Bokuto until he left the library at eight o'clock. He returned home once again tired and chilled, and waved quickly to Daichi and Suga sat on the sofa- Suga eyed him suspiciously- but they wouldn't make a fuss in front of Daichi- so Keiji was safe.

 

It was the following day- when Keiji was sat at his desk half an hour before he was due to go home- that his plan of keeping recent events a secret from Shimizu went spiraling away.

He was wrapped in his scarf reading a book - _The Hobbit_ \- ready to go home when a polite but slightly strangled cough caught his attention. Keiji looked up with a professional smile, but it fell away quickly when his eyes locked with the person in front of him.

It was rare for Keiji to feel that his stomach had dropped- but in this case perhaps it wasn't an exaggeration. 

He stared in horror at the built man stood before him, with the spiky striped hair and owlish features. 

Keiji could only hope that a man with looks very similar to Bokuto was stood at his desk.


	5. The 5th Wave

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've added Keiji's and Suga's relationship to the tags, not because anything romantic happens between them, but I still think they're adorable and their relationship is super important to the story.

Keiji stared at the person stood before him, or at least he wished he could just call them 'the person'- but unfortunately they were undoubtedly Bokuto. 

They had Bokuto's ridiculous hair, owlish amber eyes and dorky fashion sense- on this particular day he seemed to be sporting a bright yellow pleather jacket, camo trousers and military boots.

There was absolutely no way that Keiji could let himself hope that this person was not Bokuto.

Keiji realised that he had been staring dumbfoundedly at Bokuto when he started to speak awkwardly.

"Um... can I...can I get this out, please?"Bokuto was rubbing the back of his neck with a hand, he was stiffly swaying in place and had a light blush staining his cheeks.

Why was he acting so weird?

Was it possible that he recognised him? He felt his heartbeat quicken.

No- Keiji had never sent Bokuto a photograph so it wasn't possible for him to know what he looked like. Perhaps Bokuto was just socially awkward, the thought felt so wrong in Keiji's mind that he almost laughed out loud- Bokuto being shy made no sense at all. 

When Bokuto's eyes darted around distractedly Keiji finally found his words,  
"Right, of course." He reached for the book and flashed him a polite smile- although his insides felt like jelly.

Bokuto's eyes widened fractionally but he handed the book to Keiji.

Keiji tore his eyes away from Bokuto and down at the book as he took it from his - sculpted- hands. _What?_

He distracted himself by reading the title - _The 5th wave_ \- a western book. He hadn't read it before, but he smiled at Bokuto anyway and said, "Good choice."

Bokuto didn't say anything, he just stared at him with wide eyes and an ever-darkening blush on his cheeks. 

The silence stretched- Keiji felt his own blush blossoming; what an awkward encounter.  
He ran the book through the system and asked in his usual fashion, "Do you have a member's card?" 

Bokuto looked startled for a second, but his hand reached into the pocket of his jacket- he withdrew a handful of sweet wrappers and various cards, receipts and other important-looking pieces of scrunched up paper before looking down at Keiji and saying, "I dunno."

Keiji paused, _He doesn't know?_ He hadn't heard that one before. The amusement must have shown in his expression, as Bokuto's eyes shifted over his face and he smiled bashfully. 

He would take Bokuto's answer as a no,"Would you like one?" 

Bokuto replied immediately "Nah don't really come here-" he stopped for a moment and looked calculatingly at Keiji, then smirked with all the confidence in the world "Yeah sure!" 

_So he plans on coming back then_ \- Keiji didn't know how he felt about that but he smiled anyway and handed Bokuto a form to complete.

"Okay, just fill in this form and bring it back to me when you can," Bokuto beamed at him excitedly.

"Right! I will!" he then seemed to rethink, "Not like I like filling in sheets or anything- really I don't like them; people say I have bad handwriting- that a problem?" The words piled out of his mouth like a running faucet, Keiji blinked at him while he deciphered them.

Eventually, he replied, "I'm sure it'll be alright if you fill it out in block-capitals, Bokuto-san." 

_Shit._ He'd said his name. 

Keiji froze and looked slowly up at Bokuto who was looking at him in bemusement.  
_How was he going to explain that?_

"What's the difference between block-capitals and normal capitals?"

Once again, silence stretched between them. _What?_

"Uh..."Keiji was completely thrown-off, "with block-capitals, every letter is a capital...it makes it easier to read."  
Keiji couldn't fathom the possibility that Bokuto hadn't noticed what he'd said- surely he wasn't that oblivious.

"Oh right!"Bokuto took the sheet- made an attempt at folding it neatly- before stuffing it roughly in the same junkyard of a pocket he had rifled through earlier. 

Keiji continued to stare at Bokuto in disbelief- as if waiting for him to mention his slip-up.

When Bokuto only stared back at him owlishly, he let it go and handed the book back.  
Bokuto beamed - seemingly forgotten his awkwardness from moments ago.  
"Awesome! Thanks," he scanned Keiji quickly but didn't seem to find what he was looking for, "Uhh..." He gave Keiji an expectant look.

 

 _'He wants a name'_ Keiji's brain usefully supplied. He couldn't tell him his full name or he'd definitely put the pieces together, Keiji began to panic, "Ah, it's... Keiji." 

It came out almost reluctant and Bokuto laughed, "Ya sure 'bout that?" 

When Keiji said nothing and only watched him with intrigue, Bokuto seemed to collect himself.  
"Right! Anyways, thanks, Keiji!" He made as if to move away and then returned his gaze to Keiji with a bright smile, "I hope I see ya around!" 

And with that, he left the library, unbeknownst of the destruction that lay in his wake.

Keiji sat at his desk looking flustered, he had sweaty palms and an awkward stiffness to his position. _Had that really just happened?_  
Shimizu returned to the desk after her trip to the toilet to find Keiji looking like he'd been held at gunpoint- she eyed him warily for a moment before speaking.

 

"Is everything alright, Keiji-san?"

Everything wasn't alright, he'd just unexpectedly met- although admittedly he should have seen it coming- a stranger whom he had been talking to for no more than a few days who didn't seem to know it was him even after he had accidently addressed him with his name; the entire encounter ended up being grossly awkward and uncomfortable and almost like someone had pulled it from a cheesy teen-fiction romance. 

Of course, he said none of this to Shimizu, only, "Yes, everything is alright." 

 

Keiji had spent the remaining half-an-hour or so of his shift feeling a little out of it- and the conversation ran around in circles in his head like a broken tape. He had gone home in the dark like he usually did and climbed his way distractedly up the stairs and to the door of his apartment.

The door swung shut behind him and he toed off his shoes before making his way down the hallway and into the main room. 

The kitchen was a mess.  
Pots, bowls and utensils were strewn everywhere and flour dusted the counters like a fine layer of snow. Keiji approached the sink, where a tin of cremated circle-shaped blobs which may have been attempting to look like cookies had been dumped. 

He picked up the wooden spoon which had been snapped in half and thrown close-but-clearly-not-inside the bin and poked the blobs with the broken end. 

Suga had been baking. 

Keiji looked around the room cautiously- there was no way that a temper-tantrum had not ensued after this disaster, it happened every time and Keiji was always left to clean up afterward, although of course that was always followed by Suga claiming they would have cleaned away eventually.

"...Koushi-san?" he was answered with silence. Suga's usual territory, the sofa, was empty and the television was off. However, the main light had been on when Keiji had entered so Suga hadn't left the apartment, which meant they were in the bathroom, or their bedroom. 

He sighed, there were often times that Keiji felt like Suga's guardian- and this was definitely one of them. 

He dropped his bag and coat in his room and continued down the hall- the bathroom door was open and the light was off.  
Keiji checked inside anyway, although if Suga was sat in the bathroom with no lights and the door wide open then there really was something wrong. 

Suga's door was ajar, Keiji approached it quietly and pushed it open.

A Suga-sized lump was under the sheets on the bed, Keiji could hear the muffled screams of hardcore metal seeping through the gaps. 

Another sigh escaped his lips, yet perhaps this one was more fondly exasperated. 

He retreated into the kitchen for ammunition. 

He returned ten or so minutes later with two cups of hot chocolate and the blanket from his bed. Keiji placed the cups on the nightstand and his hands on his hips. 

"Koushi-san." He said aloud. 

Suga's head popped up from beneath the covers much in the same way a meerkat's head appears from its den. 

The Hello-Kitty headphones were roughly pulled away from Suga's ears as they glared at Keiji in annoyance. 

"What." However Suga's glare was half-hearted when paired with an exagerated pout.

 

"Isn't it time for our monthly _Voltron_ marathon?" Suga seemed to contemplate this for a total of three seconds before the sheets were thrown back and Keiji was roughly yanked into the bed.

"Wow! You're right, Keiji!" Suga grabbed the laptop sat precariously on the edge of the bed and dragged it into Keiji's lap. "Let's start from episode one." 

Keiji sighed yet again as he typed in Suga's password and opened the internet browser, but he had to remember that the few hours he'd be sat here watching things he'd seen so many times before were well worth not having emo-Suga destroying the flat.

 

The first season had just finished when they were interrupted by the buzz of Keiji's phone from his pocket. 

Keiji pulled it out absentmindedly to check his messages. 

_1 new message_

_Wednesday, October 22nd_

_11:45 PM Unkown: Hey hey hey Akasssh1111!!!!! (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ Ull nvr gues watt hapend 2day!_

"Who's that." This was when Keiji realised his fatal mistake. 

He turned to see Suga's eyes locked suspiciously onto his phone screen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to rename this fic, I'm not sure what yet but I'd like it to be something to do with books.  
> Please tell me if you have any ideas, I'll give credit to anyone who does.


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